Journal lubricator



July 19, 1938. J. J. HENNEssY JURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. 10, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 19, 1,938'.

J. J. HENNESSY JOURNAL LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. l0, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 19, 1938. J. J. HENNEssY n JOURNAL4 LUBRICATOR Filed Dec. l0, 1954 3 ShleetS--Sheet 3 Patented July 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT TTFTQE 23 Claims.

This invention relates to journal lubricators particularly for application to railway vehicles.

In installing journal lubricators of the type utilizing lateral play of the journal or wheel hub to actuate a lubricant pump, considerable diniculty has been experienced in insuring an adequate supply of lubricant to the journal and brass under unfavorable pumping conditions, such as slow movement of the vehicle, passage of the' vehicle over very smooth tracks, cold weather, etc., while at the same time preventing undue loss of lubricant due to excessive application thereof to the journal under more favorable pumping conditions, that is, when lateral play of the journal in its box is relatively great, relatively frequent, or when the oil is warm. Various means have been devised for recapturing excess lubricant supplied to the journal which would other- Wise escape beyond the ends of the box and cellar and be lost. Such means, although generally satisfactory, cannot always be applied to the journal boxes due to space limitations, or for other reasons.

Means have also been suggested for limiting the extent of movement of the pump piston so as to provide substantially uniform delivery of oil irrespective of variations in the limits and extent of movement of the hub-face actuated plunger. Such means have not proven entirely satisfactory, in some instances because the control mechanism has to be especially adjusted for each installation, or because the devices are too complicated, fragile, expensive, or diiiicult to install.

Due to the length and rigidity of locomotives, the truck and driving bearings, boxes, and wheel hub faces are subjected to substantial wear due to lateral forces exerted, particularly in rounding curves, and these parts must be frequently removed and repaired or renewed. Consequently, the distances between the lubricators and hub faces in these boxes are frequently varied, due chiefly to variations in thickness 0f the box hub face liners. Installation and readjustment of lubricators operated by lateral play between the boxes and wheel hub faces requires considerable skill and laborafter each removal.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a railway journal lubricator adapted to deliver a controlled quantity of lubricant to the journal irrespective of Variations in movement of the actuator plunger as well as the dimensions of the journal box.

Another object is to kprovide a journal lubricator which will automatically, accurately, and

rapidly adjust itself to properly utilize journal end play under all conditions.

Another object is to provide a lubricator which may be easily applied to and removed from the boX. 5

Another object is to provide a lubricator which is simple and economical to manufacture and adaptable to mass production.

Another object is to provide a lubricator which occupies a minimum of space due, in part, to r1o the omission of the oil reservoir separate from the box cellar.

`/Another object is to provide means in connection with the lubricator for maintaining a supply of lubricant in engagement with brous lubriv`1'5 cant distributing material engaging the journal.

Another object is the provide a lubricator which is normally immersed in a supply of oil, thereby facilitating construction and operation of the pump, the pump intake being suiiiciently high 2'0 above thefloor of the reservoir to prevent water from being drawn into the pump.

Still another object is to provide a novel wiper device for preventing oil from escaping endwise along the journal.

These objects and others are attained substantially by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichrFigure l is a vertical longitudinal section through a journal box cellar and lubricator and is @39 taken on line I-I of Figure 2, the box being omitted and the journal being indicated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a top sectional view of the lubricator taken approximately on the line 2-2 of F55 Figure 4, the wipers being shown in plan and the section being tilted along passage 28.

Figure 3-is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the broken line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an outer end View of the cellar and wiper device taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, part of the cellar wall being broken away.

Figure 5a is an enlarged side view of one of the lubricant wiping arms. v

Figure 6 is a plan view and horizontal section showing a lubricant cellar and modied lubricator.

Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line l-l of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 6 and showing still another modication.

Figure 9 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the 'line 9 9 of Figure 8.

In each of the forms of the invention, the lubricator is illustrated applied to an inside bearing journal although the lubricator may be advantageously applied to substantially any type of journal and journal box for truck or driving bearings.

In Figures l to 5, the cellar I mounted in the usual journal box (not shown) has side walls 2 extending upwardly along the sides of the journal portion 3 of the axle, the journal being located immediately inside of the hub face 4. Resting in the bottom of the cellar I is a pump body casting, generally indicated at 5, With its underportion upwardly recessed and mounting the strainer screen 9 and with a concave seat 1 in its upper surface. The body 5 is inserted against the clips 8 secured to the floor of the cellar near the inner end thereof and has the spring pressed plunger 9 at the other end which is snapped into position against the lug IU secured to the cellar floor to yieldingly maintain the lubricator body in position. Small projections 8a on the body casting assist in maintaining the'body in position. Y

Swiveled on the seat 1 is the apertured delivery member II telescopingly assembled with the delivery member I2 which forms an integral part of the sub-cellar I3. Within the sub-cellar is the pan i4 supported therein by coiled spring I4a and carrying a series of felt strips I5. The subcellar I3 is yieldingly supported by a coiled spring I3 engaging a shoulder near the lower extremity of the delivery member II. The delivery member !2 and pads I5 are maintained yieldingly in engagement with the journal by the springs lila and I6. Splash plates I1 and I'Ia project inwardly from the end walls of the cellar for preventing oil normally stored in the cellar from splashing over the end walls thereof.

Extending above-and around the pump body casting is an upright wall 5a forming a bowllike auxiliary reservoir formaintaining a Supply of oil in cons-tant engagement with the felt pads I5 which conduct the oil upwardly by capillary action. 'I'he wall 5al is shown as constituting an integral part of the body casting 5, but obviouslythese parts may be welded or otherwise secured together. In the thinner part of casting ai, adjacent the lever 40, to be referred to hereafter, is a small hole 5b for (Figure 3) for permitting water drawn through the pump to seep back into the bottom of the cellar which serves as an oil reservoir. I-Iole 5b is beveled so as to reduce the possibility of its becoming clogged by dirt or other solid substances. The upper edge of wall 5a is located sufficiently beneath and inside the splash plate I1 to permit disengagement of the spring plunger 9 and lug I0 in removing the body casting.

Formed in the body member 5 are a pair of cylinders or chambers I8 and I9 located on each side of the seat 'I for the telescoping delivery conduit device. Within the cylinder I3 is a pump piston 29 having a stem 2I yieldingly urged outwardly of the cylinder by the coiled spring 22. In the bottom wall of the cylinder I8 is an inlet 23 provided with ball check 24 loosely held in position by the plug 25. The pump body is normally entirely immersed in oil stored in the cellar, and the inlet 23 is located sufciently above the oor of the cellar to permit a substantial volume of water to collect thereon without being drawn into the pump.

Inside of the pump cylinder adjacent the inlet 23 is a lateral passage 26 communicating past the ball check 21 with the diagonal orifice 28 in the body and with the apertured delivery member il. The ball check 21 is loosely secured in position by the plug-seat 29. If desired, the pump valves may be formed in a separate integral structure which is applied to the body as a unit, as illustrated and claimed in a. copending application Serial No. 739,849, filed August 15, 1934, by the present inventor.

Slidable within the chamber I9 on the side of the pump body casting opposite the pump cylinder, is a control piston 39 with its stem portion 3E having its extremity 32 threaded and provided with a nut 33. Chamber I9 has a bottom inlet 34 communicating with the supply of lubricant in the bottom of the cellar I. The piston 3 is slightly smaller than the chamber I9 for a purpose to be described hereafter.

Secured to the side of the cellar substantially above the body 5 is the housing 36 slidably receiving the plunger 31 which extends through an end wall of the cellar and engages the adjacent wheel hub face 4. On the inner end of the plunger is a depending arm 38. Pivoted to the body 5 by means of a pin 39 located between the cylinders I3 and I9 is the lever 4I] which at one end is engaged by, but not attached to, the depending arm 33 on the Contact plunger 31, and at the other end is engaged by the enlarged extremity o1 the pump piston stem 2I. Lever 40 has a horizontal slot intermediate the pin 39 and the end thereof engaging the arm 38, which slot loosely receives they threaded stem 32 on the control piston 39 and is prevented from disassembly therefrom by the nut 33.

In operation, a supply of lubricant will be maintained in the bottom of the cellar I preferably to a level beneath the splash plates I1 and I1a and the contact rod housing 36. Lateral movement of the hub face 4 relative to the box and lubricator body held securely therein will cause the contact plunger 31 to reciprocate longitudinally within its housing 36, the inward movement of the plunger being transmitted to the lever 40 through the arm 38. Assuming the control chamber I9 to be empty when the device starts operating, inward movement of the plunger 31 and the adjacent end of the lever 40 will move the control piston 39 outwardly of the control cylinder, causing lubricant irom the cellar to be drawn through the inlet 34. 'During each outward movement of the hub face, the pump piston spring 22 will expand, causing counterclockwise movement of the lever 40 and moving the contact plunger 31 outwardly a short distance. Although lubricant in the control chamber escapes slowly past the loose piston 30, the reciprocation of the lever 40 and the pump piston I8 will be substantially limited by the difference between the width of lever 49 and the space between the nut 33 and the control stem shoulder 4 I.

It is well known that the amount of relative lateral play between the journal and wheel hub face and the journal box varies and it may require a number of reciprocations of the contact plunger 31 to draw the control piston 30 out of the control chamber to establish the inner limit oi reciprocation of the lever 49 and piston 20 as determined by the extreme inward movement of the hub face and contact plunger. In case the lateral movement of the hub face does not again reach its extreme inward position for a substantial period, lubricant will be slowly/,ejected from the control cylinder past loose piston 30 by the action of spring 22, resetting the Contact rod to utilize the proper portion of the lateral movement of the hub face lin actuating the lubricant pump.

In practice, the piston 30 is made from fifteen to twenty thousandths of an inch smaller in diameter than the chamber I9, this difference being exaggerated in the drawings for clearness.

It will be seen that the inward stroke of the pump piston 20 is limited by the amount of play in the loose connection between the control stem 32 and the lever and .this play and consequently the amount of lubricant delivered can be manually varied by the nut 33. The nut 33 may be replaced by a key or collar, or the lever 48 may cooperate with a reduced or notched portion of stem 32, but this would eliminate the adjustable feature. The mechanism automatically adjusts itself to utilize the lateral play of the hub face, irrespective of variations in the extent thereof, in a mannerto constantly deliver a uniform quantity of lubricant to the journal.

No part ofthe pump body or lever 48 is attached to the cellar, and in order to remove the body casting and the operating mechanism contained therein, it is only necessary to raise the outer end of the body so as to disengage the spring snap 9 and lug I6. The casting can then be readily disengaged from clips 8 and removed from the cellar for inspection, cleaning, or repair. No parts need to be unscrewed, and no particular effort is required in removing the mechanism.

Mounted in the hub end of the cellar is an oil wiping device comprising a pair of wings or arms 42, one of which is shown in Figure a., with lugs 43 pivotally connected at the center by a pin 44. On the upper surfaces of arms 42 and engaging the journal are diagonal ribs 45. The arms 42 extend on both sides of the cellar end wall 46, which is cut away beneath the journal to provide therefor, and the ribs 45 wipe excess oil from the journal and return it through the inwardly inclined channels 41 between the ribs to the inside of the cellar.

The ribs 45 are maintained in engagement with the journal by stems 48 extending through and Aslidable within bushings 49 rigid with splash plate I1 and urged upwardly by coiled springs 50 surrounding the lower parts of the stems and abutting the pins 5l. Stems 48 engage hemispherical seats 52 in the bottoms of arms 42 and may be pinned therein, as at 53. The arms 42 are free to swivel about the pin 44 and the ribs 45, preferably of relatively soft material, will wear to conform with the contour of the journal. At the inner end of the box, oil is wiped from the journal by ribs 54 on the cellar end Wall 55. If

desired, the Wiper may be formed in more than two sections and these may be supported individually or in groups.

When a locomotive is lifted without the pedestal binders or spacer plates being removed, the weight of the driving wheels and axles must be borne by the lubricators in the driving boxes, unless the lubricato-rs are removed and replaced by heavy blocks, which seldom is done. In order to protect the lubricator, the vertical supports 56, welded to the floor of the cellar, extend through the splash plate I1 and terminate immediately beneath enlargements 51 on the wiper arms 42. The supporting members 56 are intended for use, chiefly in driving boxes, as shown, to transmit the weight of the drivers and axles to the binders, one of which is shown in part at 58 in Figure 5, upon which the lubricant cellars rest.

In Figures 6 and '1, a lubricant reservoir 62 is provided on the inner end of the box cellar 63.

vinder.

Lubricant body vcasting 64 is positioned between the stop clips 65 and the llug 66, as in the previous form, and the details ofthe actuator and control chamber and piston, the delivery conduit device, part of which is illustrated at 61, and the subcellar and distributor pads, are the same as in the previous form. The wall around the top of the pump body is omitted.

The pump cylinder 68 is located at the center of the body casting in line with the concave seat 69, a depending arm on the pump cylinder being provided with a strainer screen 1|. The lever 12 is pivoted at 13 to the side of the lubricator body so that the inward movement of the contact plunger 14 will move the pump piston 15 inwardly, forcing lubricant past the ball check 16 into the restricted passage 11 extending above the pump cylinder and piston to the delivery conduit B1. Movement of the piston to the left under the influence of the coiled spring 18 draws lubricant from the reservoir 62 through the arm 10 past the ball check 19 and into the pump cyl- In this form, a small hole 14a is provided for `exit of oil from the control chamber. Also, the control piston could be provided with a small longitudinal hole or groove for this purpose, although the reduced piston, as in Figures 2 and 3, is preferred because of the tendency of a small hole, as` hole 14a, to become clogged.

The inner splash plate 80 and the wall 8| separating the lubricant cellar from the reservoir are recessed, as at 82 and 83, to facilitate application of the lubricator to the box. Extending partly around the pump cylinder 68 is a collar 84 and the washer 85, yieldingly urged against the wall 8| by the spring element 86 forming part of the spring pressed plunger device, so as to seal the aperture 83 in the wall 8|.

In Figures 8 and l9, the operative details of the lubricator are the same as in Figures 6 and '7. The reservoir 81, however, extends partially beneath the lubricant cellar and the downward arm 88 on the pump cylinder 89 extends through the aperture in the portion of the cellar bottom wall 98 which separates the cellar from the reservoir. Extending around the arm 88 is the washer 9i which is pressed against the aperture in the floor of the cellar by the coiled springs 92 and 93 which yieldingly support the delivery conduit and distributor pan, so as to seal the aperture.

The novel lubricator is simple and economical to'manufacture due to the inclusion of the entire pump and control body in an integral casting, and also due to the immersion of the entire pump mechanism in oil so as to avoid the necessity of creating a high vacuum in the pump cylinder and due to the location of the hub contacting actuator plunger above the oil level so that an oil tight housing therefore 'is not necessary. The device may be easily applied to and removed from the journal box and may be readily adapted to various styles and sizes of journals and driving boxes without variation of the contact plunger or size of the pump or control cylinders. Due to the automatic operation, a relatively large pump cylinder and piston may be used and these need not be accurately fitted, thus further decreasing the labor and expense of manufacture and repair and insuring the delivery of suicient quantities of oil as determined by the adjustment of the controller piston.

There are two advantageous features inherent in the structure described in addition to the automatic regulation of the extent of movement of the oil discharging piston when ythere is excessive play between the box and the journal. When the temperature of the oilrises and its viscosity is reduced, it is desirable that a greater quantity of oil be pumped to the bearing. When the journal is operating at low speeds and, presumably, there is relatively slow and short play between the journal and the box, it is important that the supply of oil to the journal is not interrupted for any lengthy period.

When oil is thinned by the rising temperature, it will discharge around the loose piston more rapidly than previously and in turn the pump plunger will operate a greater distance. In other words, the thinner oil does not restrict the movement of the control plunger to the same extent that the heavier oil does and, accordingly, the pump plunger travels further and displaces a greater quantity of oil.

At 20 miles per hour there may be an average of fteen transverse movements of the journal each minute. Higher speeds may result in sixtyve or seventy transverse movements per minute. When the vehicle is traveling at low speeds, there will be a greater length of time between the reciprocal movements of the Contact rod and, hence, spring 22 will act on the lever d for a 1ionger period and more oil will be forced out of the control rod cylinder through the small opening. This allows the plunger to move further during each stroke. In other words, the greater the length of time between the contact strokes, because o1" reduced locomotive speed, the less effective the control feature and the greater the travel of the pump plunger and the more oil forced through the discharge conduit.

The invention is not limited to the details of the structures described, and any type of reciprocating lubricating device may be used with the control mechanism illustrated. The exclusive use of all such modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims` is contemplated.

I claim:

1. In a journal lubricator, a reciprocating oil feeding member, means for actuating said member during movement of the journal, a control chamber having an inlet communicating With a supply of liquid and arranged to trap liquid therein, and a piston in said chamber and having a loose connection with said actuating means whereby the limits of operation of said feeding member are dependent upon the quantity of liquid in said control chamber and the play in said loose connection, said control chamber being provided with a restricted outlet permitting relatively slow escape of liquid trapped therein.

2. In combination, a journal box including a lubricant cellar, and a journal lubricator therein comprising a pump for applying lubricant to the journal, means for actuating said pump during movement of the journal, a control chamber having an inlet communicating with a supply of liquid, and a piston in said chamber having a loose connection with said actuating means whereby the limits of movement of the pump piston are determined by the quantity of liquid in said control chamber and the amount of play in said loose connection, said control chamber being provided with a restricted outlet permitting relatively slow escape of liquid trapped therein.

3. Structure as specified in claim 2 in which said control chamber inlet communicates with the supply of lubricant in the box cellar.

4. Structure as specied in claim 2 in which said control chamber also has an outlet substantially smaller than said inlet.

5. Structure as specied in claim 2 in which said inlet is provided with a check .valve and said control chamber has an outlet substantially smaller than said inlet whereby greater resistance is offered to inward movement of said control piston expelling liquid from said chamber than to the outward movement of said piston drawing liquid into said chamber, said loose connection limiting the movement of said pump piston as determined by the extremity of previous movements of said actuating means.

6. Structure as specied in claim 2 in which the amount of play in said loose connection is adjustable for varying the quantity of lubricant delivered to the journal.

.'7. In combination, a journal box having a lubricant cellar, and a journal lubricator therein comprising a pump for delivering lubricant to the journal, an actuator reciprocable during movement ofthe journal relative to the journal box, a control chamber having a check-valved inlet communicating with a supply of liquid, said chamber having a relatively restricted outlet whereby liquid drawn into the chamber is trapped temporarily, a pivcted lever for operating the pump piston from said actuator, and a piston in said chamber and having a loose connection with said lever whereby the limits of reciprocation of said lever and said pump piston are determined by the position of said control piston and the play in said loose connection.

8. In combination, a journal box including a K prising a body seated in said cellar and applicable thereto as a unit, said body including pump and control chambers each having a piston and an inlet orice, provided with a non-return check, communicating with the supply of lubricant in said cellar and each chamber having an outlet, means for actuating said pump piston during movement of the journal relative to said box, means for delivering lubricant from said pump cylinder to the journal, the outlet from said control chamber being restricted relative to the corresponding inlet orifice, and a loose connection between said control piston and said actuating means whereby the extent of movement of said pump piston is determined by the position of said control piston and the play in said loose connection.

9. Structure as specied in claim 8 in which said actuating means includes a plunger reciprocable by the adjacent wheel hub and a lever pivoted to said body unit and connected with said plunger, and with said pump and control pistons.

10. In combination in a journal lubricator, a body unit adapted to be mounted in the bottom of the journal box and including pump and control chambers supplied with lubricant and having individual pistons, lubricant distributing structure seated on said body unit, and means for actuating said pump piston in one direction, a part disposed for engagement with a reciprocating journal element for actuating said pump piston in the opposite direction, the reciprocation of said pump piston discharging lubricant to said distributing structure, a connection between said limit the stroke of said pump piston, said control chamber having a restricted outlet for lubricant drawn therein whereby the setting of said control piston may be varied to accomodate different movements of said part.

11. In combination, wheel and axle structure including a journal, a journal box having a lubricant cellar, a pump for applying lubricant to said journal and a control chamber in said cellar, said pump and chamber having pistons, means including a plunger associated with a reciprocating part of said structure for actuating said pump piston, said control piston being connected with said actuating means for controlling the movement of said pump piston, and yielding means constantly urging said control piston inwardly and said plunger towards said reciproeating part, there being a restricted vent for said control chamber enabling said yielding means to function slowly.

12. Structure as specified in claim 11 in which said actuator plunger and a support therefor are located above the normal oil level in the box cellar.

13. In combination, a journal box having a Y cellar for holding a supply of lubricant, an upwardly disposed conduit in said cellar for delivering lubricant to the journal, pump and control cylinders in said cellar on opposite sides of said conduit, said cylinders having pistons and nonreturn inlets communicating with a supply of lubricant in said cellar and having outlets, the outlet from said pump cylinder leading to said conduit and the outlet from said control cylinder being restricted relative to the corresponding inlet, a passage between said pump cylinder and said conduit, Athere being check valves in said inlets and said passage, and means for actuating said pump piston during movement of the journal including a pivoted lever connected with said pistons, said control piston having a loose connection with said lever permitting limited reciprocation thereof within limits determined by the position of said control piston in its cylinder.

14. In combination, wheel and axle structure including a journal, a journal box having a lubricant cellar, a lubricator comprising a body arranged to be snapped into position in said cellar and a distributor device supported above said body, an actuator plunger engaging the adjacent wheel hub, said body including pump and control cylinders having pistons and inlets communicating with the supply of lubricant in said cellar, there being outlets from said cylinders and the outlet from said control cylinder being restricted relative to the corresponding inlet, a lever pivoted on said body and connecting said plunger with the pump piston, said plunger being adapted to actuate said lever in one direction only, yielding means urging said pump plunger and lever in the other direction, and a loose connection between said lever and said control piston whereby the extent of movement of said lever and said pump piston is substantially constant irrespective of variations in the limits of movement of said plunger.

15. In combination, a journal box having a ce1- lar, a lubricant reservoir, there being a wall separating said cellar and said reservoir, a journal lubricator in said cellar including a pump body extending through said wall, said body havj ing a collar abutting said wall, and yielding means urging said collar against said wall whereby said collar functions as an oil seal.

16. Structure as specified in claim 15 including structure for distributing lubricant applied to the journal, and yielding means supporting said structure above said pump body, said yielding means functioning to urge said collar snugly against said wall.

17. In combination, a journal box having a cellar, a lubricator body, pump and control chambers having separate inlet orifices from said cellar, respective pistons for drawing lubricant into said chambers, a connection between said pistons whereby movement of said pump piston is limited by movement of said control piston, a distributor arranged for contact with a journal to which the box is applied, a conduit from said pump chamber to said distributor, and an outlet for discharging lubricant from said control chamber back to said cellar.

18. A combination of elements as specified in claim 17 in which said chambers form part of a unitary body structure yieldingly held in said cellar and readily removable as a unit therefrom including substantially the entire pumping and controlling mechanism.

19. A combination of elements as specified in vclaim 17 in which said cellar serves as an oil `claim 17 in which the outlet from the control chamber is formed by making the control piston slightly smaller in diameter than the control chamber to permit slow ejection of oil from said control chamber under pressure of said control piston, and a connection between said pistons whereby movement of said pumping piston forces said control piston into said control chamber.

22. In a journal lubricator, an oil feeding member, means for actuating said member during movement of the journal, a control chamber having an inlet communicating with a supply of liquid, and a piston in said chamber having a connection with said actuating means whereby the operation of said feeding member is dependent upon the quantity of liquid in said control chamber.

23. In a journal lubricator, an oil feeding member, means for actuating said member during movement of the journal, a control chamber having an inlet communicating with a supply of liquid, and a piston in said chamber having a loose connection with said actuating means whereby the limits of operation of said feeding member are dependent upon the quantity of liquid in said control chamber and the play in said loose connection.

JAS. J. I-IEN'NESSY. 

